Make the most of summer by spending time outdoors
Want to spend some quality time with family? Or maybe you'd like to escape to nature for some wildlife watching and solitude. MassWildlife has put together some resources to help you enjoy the beauty and fun that can be found on Massachusetts lands and waterbodies.
- Family fishing fun – Get tips for planning the prefect family outing
- Wildlife viewing guide – Learn how to enjoy the surprising diversity of Massachusetts wildlife
Never thought you’d see a bear? Think again.
It’s summertime in Massachusetts, which means more people will be spending time outdoors. With the increasing number of black bears found in many areas of Massachusetts, it is important for all residents to know how to prevent problems. While people living in western Massachusetts have been coexisting with bears for years, others in the eastern part of the state may be surprised to learn that black bears likely live nearby as well. This summer, a young bear made headlines as it traveled throughout southeastern MA, and over the last few years, MassWildlife has also confirmed reports of bears in Newton, Chelmsford, North Andover, Amesbury, and even Provincetown! In the mid-1970s, the Massachusetts black bear population was estimated at under 100 individuals, and today there are now over 4,500 bears estimated to live across the Commonwealth. As the bear range expands eastward toward the most densely populated communities of Massachusetts, bear sightings are increasing, and many people are asking themselves, “How dangerous are bears? Is it normal to see a bear in a neighborhood? What do I do if I encounter one?”.
Taking a few easy, precautionary measures will help you avoid negative encounters with bears and other wildlife. Whether at home in your own backyard, hiking on a trail, or visiting a campground, it’s important to be prepared while enjoying the outdoors.
At home
Bears often pass through residential areas where you may not expect to see them. Bears tend to spend more time in neighborhoods if there is food available.
- Remove or secure all potential food for bears, such as bird feeders, unsecured garbage, and compost piles.
- Protect backyard chicken coops or beehives with electric fencing.
- Clean greasy barbecues after each use.
- Feed pets indoors. The presence of a barking dog can trigger a bear to become aggressive; always keep dogs leashed, check your yard for bears before letting your dog out, and never let dogs chase or interact with bears.
At your campsite
Maintaining a clean campsite is key to enjoying your next outing.
- Store food and cooking gear in bear-proof containers separate from your sleeping area. Coolers are not bear-resistant.
- Put food scraps and fat drippings in closed containers, not the campfire.
In the woods
While bears are generally not aggressive and usually cautious of people, it’s always important to respect bears and give them plenty of space if you encounter them in the woods.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. Normal trail noise will usually alert bears to your presence and prompt them to move without being noticed.
- If you see a bear, talk to it in a calm voice and slowly back away. Do not approach bears or intrude between a female bear and her cubs.
- Bears will sometimes “bluff charge” when cornered or threatened. Don’t run from a charging bear; speak calmly and slowly back away.
- Keep pets leashed and supervised.
The best thing for people to do is educate themselves about bears and take action to prevent conflicts. Dave Wattles, MassWildlife’s Black Bear and Furbearer Biologist said, “As our bear population increases, people need to understand what it means to really co-exist with bears. People need to change their behavior because bears aren’t going to change theirs.” For more tips on living with black bears in Massachusetts, please visit mass.gov/bears
Learn more:
- MassWildlife's website contains a wealth of information about black bears in Massachusetts, including tips for residents, research projects, conservation and management efforts, and more.
- Read a recent full-length article in Massachusetts Wildlife magazine by Jim Behnke, entitled Massachusetts is Bear Country (2021).
The mighty oak
Over 10 species of oak can be found in Massachusetts in a variety of upland and wetland habitats, from scrub oaks that grow in the dry sandplains of Cape Cod to chestnut oaks on ridges of the Connecticut River Valley. When you think of an oak tree, you may recall a favorite tire swing from childhood or a particularly comfortable shade tree in the park. What you may not realize is that oaks are pillars of biodiversity in the forests of New England.
Oaks provide high-quality food for a wide variety of creatures. Acorns, once ground into flour by Native Americans, are packed with fats and proteins and eaten by all kinds of wildlife including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, black bears, wood ducks, ruffed grouse, blue jays, gray and flying squirrels, mice, and voles. But even more impressive are the leaves which are eaten by over 500 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars—significantly more than any other hardwood tree species. The caterpillars in turn become food for families of breeding birds. The birds keep the caterpillars in check and save the oak from losing all its leaves. In addition, oaks support hundreds of species of oak gall forming wasps (Cynipidae) which become yet another food resource for native wildlife. Oaks are vital to a vigorous forest food web and that’s why oak conservation is a priority for MassWildlife.
In order for oaks to establish and grow, they need a disturbance to create an ideal seedbed with plenty of sunlight, and there is no better tool than fire. In fact, fire and oaks go hand in hand. Oaks provide fuel in the form of leaves which dry to a crisp better than other hardwoods and their curled edges allow the fire to spread. Fire creates the bare mineral soil seedbed which is perfect for acorn germination and eliminates other hardwood competition that could shade the oak seedling. Young oaks devote much of their energy to creating strong root systems, so if a fire occurs the top of the sapling may be killed but the sapling can quickly resprout using reserves from its roots. This ability to regenerate quickly after a fire allows oaks to outcompete other tree species.
Fire suppression, which began in the early 1900s, is one factor that has resulted in a significant decrease in oak regeneration across the eastern U.S. Forests have become increasingly dominated by maple, birch, and hemlock. Because of the critical importance of oaks and oak forests to wildlife, MassWildlife and its partners conduct prescribed fires at strategic locations to aid in their regeneration. Returning fire to the landscape benefits oaks and other plants that require fire to thrive. The restored habitats that result from carefully planned prescribed fires support many native mammals and birds along with bees, moths, and butterflies.
Learn more about how MassWildlife is restoring habitat across Massachusetts.
When geese can't fly
Perhaps no sound more clearly evokes an image of wilderness than the honking of migrating geese. Canada geese have passed through Massachusetts on their journeys to and from their arctic breeding grounds for centuries. Prior to the 1930s, it was unusual for geese to nest here, yet today in Massachusetts you can find Canada geese any time of the year. In fact, in some areas, people now feel there are too many geese! Why the change?
There are two different populations of Canada geese in Massachusetts. The first is the migratory population which passes through in the spring and fall. Massachusetts is one of many resting areas for these migrating birds. The second is the resident population: descendants of captive geese used by waterfowl hunters in the early 20th century. When live decoys were outlawed in the 1935s, many captive birds were released into the wild. With no pattern of migration, these geese began nesting here and are now present year-round. Today, MassWildlife manages Canada geese populations through an established management program, regulated hunting, and research.
Each summer, MassWildlife biologists capture Canada geese, band them, and collect data. During late June through July, most adult geese have molted (shed) their flight feathers and are unable to fly. Biologists set up a temporary corral, consisting of a long net hung on poles. Since the geese can’t fly, MassWildlife biologists can herd the flock into the corral by waving their arms and clapping. Staff look for geese on golf courses, parks, beaches, neighborhoods, and rural areas across the state. When geese are in the water, staff use canoes or kayaks to herd the flock into an area where they can be captured. Staff then band each bird and record their age, gender, and location and record numbers of previously banded birds. All this information then goes into the federal database at the Bird Banding Lab in Maryland. MassWildlife bands 800 geese each summer at 60 to 70 locations around the state. Such efforts, repeated over many years, result in the information required for biologists monitor and manage Canada geese populations over time.
As goose numbers increase throughout Massachusetts, so do problems, especially with goose droppings. After all, Canada geese produce between ½ pound to 1.5 pounds of droppings every day! MassWildlife urges residents to do their part to prevent problems with geese. The primary way is to avoid feeding them. Geese, ducks, and other wildlife tend to congregate wherever people feed them. Feeding encourages birds to stay in one place and build up flock sizes that the habitat can’t support, such as on golf courses, lawns, and beaches. You can learn more about more about Canada geese, what you can do prevent issues with Canada geese, and what MassWildlife is doing to manage geese in Massachusetts by visiting MassWildlife's webpage on Canada geese.
Deer hunting updates
If you want to hunt antlerless deer in 2021, you need an antlerless deer permit. If you apply for a permit by the July 16 deadline, you then must check back after August 1 to find out if you have been awarded the ability to purchase the permit. Hunters can apply online using MassFishHunt on a computer or smartphone. You need a valid hunting or sporting license to apply for an antlerless deer permit. There is no fee to apply; a $5 fee is charged only if you are awarded a permit during the instant award period.
The instant award period begins August 1st at 8 a.m. and ends on December 31. Your odds of being awarded a permit are the same regardless of when you check your permit status. You can check the status of your permit through MassFishHunt.
Learn more about Antlerless Deer Permits, including how to apply and 2021 allocations.
In search of the black racer snake
Seeing a five-foot long northern black racer (Coluber constrictor) hunting in a meadow or climbing a shrub can be a memorable wildlife encounter where responses range from wonder to heart-stopping fear. Sadly, encounters with black racers are declining in New England. As with many other species, black racers are at risk from habitat loss and fragmentation, and anecdotal information indicates the species is declining in our region. The Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan ranks the black racer as common across the state, but it is of concern because little is known about their current abundance and distribution.
With these threats in mind, and lack of baseline data on the species, BiodiversityWorks (BW), a non-profit headquartered on Martha’s Vineyard focused on wildlife conservation through research and monitoring, embarked on a five-year study to document racer distribution on the island, their movements, and habitat use across different landscapes.
Four racers were captured using funnel traps—and named Audrey, Katama, Scooter, and Liatris—and each was implanted with a radio transmitter by a volunteer veterinarian. BW tracked the movements of each racer for almost a year as they moved around the island. The group documented home range, nesting and hibernation sites, and the vegetation communities the racers occupied. At the conclusion of the study, the snakes were recaptured, had their transmitters removed and were released, and in one case, with tragic results.
The complete story of the study, along with more black racer facts, can be found in the No. 2, 2021 issue of Massachusetts Wildlife magazine. Other topics include hooded mergansers, an endangered species art exhibit, and advice on becoming a hunter on a budget. To subscribe, visit mass.gov/dfw/magazine.
If you see a northern black racer, MassWildlife encourages you to report your sighting using Heritage Hub, mass.gov/heritagehub. Obtaining population data from citizen scientists like you is a critical component of conservation.